The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s Interagency Labor Committee for Monitoring and Enforcement has requested that the government of Mexico review allegations that workers’ rights are being denied by Industrias Tecnos, a munitions manufacturing facility in Cuernavaca. The U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Trade Representative co-chair the Interagency Labor Committee.
This request follows a petition filed on May 23, 2024, by the union Sindicato Metálicos and its union confederation, the Unión de Federaciones y Sindicatos de Mexico. Filed under the USMCA’s Rapid Response Labor Mechanism (RRM), the petition alleges that Industrias Tecnos, in collaboration with the incumbent union Sindicato Químico, discriminated against workers who did not join Sindicato Químico. It further claims these workers were subjected to harassment and pressure to reaffiliate with Sindicato Químico and faced termination for pretextual reasons.
The committee found sufficient evidence supporting these allegations and subsequently invoked the RRM by submitting a review request to Mexico.
“The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining are upheld, as mandated by Mexico’s labor laws and the USMCA. Our investigation into Industrias Tecnos revealed evidence of interference in worker organizing efforts and retaliation against workers for their union activity, which violate these commitments,” said Deputy Undersecretary for International Labor Affairs Thea Lee. “We look forward to working with the government of Mexico to ensure that workers at Industrias Tecnos can exercise their rights without fear of retaliation.”
Ambassador Katherine Tai emphasized, “The USMCA empowers workers to organize freely and support the union of their choice. Through today’s invocation of the RRM, we are again reaffirming this right and our intention to continue using this tool to advocate that workers’ rights are respected.” She added, “Measures taken through the RRM have directly benefitted over 35,000 workers, and we look forward to collaborating with the Government of Mexico to deliver for the workers represented in this matter as well.”
Mexico's government now has 10 days to decide whether it will conduct a review and 45 days to investigate these claims before presenting its findings.
Industrias Tecnos operates under Aguila Ammunition's brand name, producing ammunition for sport shooting industries as well as government, military, and law enforcement institutions. The company has authorized distributors in 28 countries including the United States.
